Apple's 2017 iPhone May Feature Dual-Curve OLED Display

[tooltalk]

And it's funny how so many people acts like they know tech, but they think Samsung released the whole weird edges devices first. Stop thinking Samsung and Apple releases everything first, and start giving credit wherever it's due.

@Tech for Kings : Well, normally I would agree with you. But when it comes to displays, memory, etc, Samsung is either the only game in town (eg, AMOLED in general) or a major player whose breakthroughs contribute significantly in overall development of the underlying tech.

So, who else released a smartphone with curved AMOLED display?

 

[Razeus]

Gross.

 

[CFreymarc]

They do a wrap around screen, this will totally crew up the case aftermarket. I don't see this happening.

 

[smorrissey]

mmmmmm kissing Samsung's * delicious, que rico papi! Cook like it.

 

[xsdeus]

Certainly better to hold in one hand.



They made a "better looking" laptop without justifying why they had to get rid of practical functionality.

I don't work for Apple, so everything I say is speculation.

I think Apple's pursuit of simplicity and thinness could be attributed to a reduction of material costs.

You might think it's a trivial amount, but Apple saved over 4 million US dollars by recycling the scraps of plated gold inside iPhones and other devices.
[doublepost=1464838700][/doublepost]

You're mostly right, except for when Apple keeps making the phone thinner. That's purely a design thing and IMO the ultimate gimmick. What function does it serve that the previous iPhone couldn't do? If anything, it takes away from battery life and space for other internals...cough..camera hump...cough.

Materials cost reduction.
[doublepost=1464838735][/doublepost]

I guess this could just boil down to difference of opinion, but I have yet to find the practical functional aspect of a thinner design (with thinner battery).

Or a true functional aspect of Siri (I personally rarely use it, and think it's a gimmick more and more with every iOS).

I'm not saying whether curved displays or whatever may be gimmicky or function, but just wanted to mention that I personally (among many others) don't agree that Apple in recent years has been making functional designs.

With the death of SJ, it seems Jony Ive's gone unchecked with his thin and light design philosophy, making some wacky and unwieldy designs.

See my deduction above.
[doublepost=1464838780][/doublepost]

Like drawing pictures on a watch face and sending real time heartbeats?

You got me there....
[doublepost=1464839108][/doublepost]

honest question: how do you design a protective case for this phone? I drop my phone. It's a fact of life.
I want edge to edge and welcome this design change, but...

As long as all edges are covered with a lip, it should be protective.

Even though the left and right edges are depressed, the top and bottom edges aren't, and the highest point will be the lips for those edges (top & bottom).

 

[maxsix]

The resemblance to Samsungs flagship is remarkable. It's rather hard to imagine that this is even a remote possibility. Yet this is Apple circa 2016 where anything is possible.

 

[iPhaithful]

I just want them to slim down the damned bezels!

 

[dav1dd]

Wow - these rumours are getting crazy. This year's product isn't even out yet; instead, buzz is being created around next year's product. Looks like 2016 will suck. Unless the September Keynote focuses more on wowing us with the 'puters and less on the phone and ipads. That would be a nice change!!

 

[ovo6]

Sounds good but this gonna break on first drop

 

[Coli22]

From leader to follower...we've seen this already - under Scully!

 

[Jakeoster]

The 2017 iPhone will look nothing like that Vivo turd, not even close.

Black Glass on black glass with a seamless liquid metal edge that will be imbued with black that cannot be scratched off and will also work as an effective shock absorber when dropped.

It will look stunning, no doubt. A monolithic piece of design perfection. Unfortunately, the days of smartphone industrial design will reach its peak during this generation and us fans will be the dogs who caught the mail truck. Now what will we do?

 

[Vjosullivan]

Anyone find it weird that Samsung has such a ridiculously similar product naming strategy?

Their flagship phones are S6, S7? Isn't that like the same as Apple's 6S, 7S? and yet Samsung puts their S7 out a year before Apple so they can be in the right? Shameless.

Yep, the number of companies that are releasing copy cat products to the market years before Apple is getting ridiculous. We could see this sort of thing happening even as Steve Jobs invented the computer.

 

[MacBH928]

Why are there more rumors about iphone 2017 than 2016?

Also, curved OLED is a novelty. Its not good in practical use

 

[Romf]

The new S7 EDGE is a stunning phone design, just too big for me, I personally feel the 6S 4.6" is the best size for me, if they make it a curved glass screen too I would be very happy. All of Samsung's curved edge designs are just too big for my linking.

But still doesnt answer my question: is there any use for such a screen compared to a normal screen? I agree it looks nice though

 

[jimbo1mcm]

If you think the Galaxy S7 or S7 edge sucks, then get one for a couple of weeks. Bet you end up keeping it and saying to yourself, " why couldn't Apple make a phone like this now?". From a former Apple fanboy.

 

[Romf]

If you think the Galaxy S7 or S7 edge sucks, then get one for a couple of weeks. Bet you end up keeping it and saying to yourself, " why couldn't Apple make a phone like this now?". From a former Apple fanboy.

I absolutely don't think this phone sucks. Actually I have no opinion about it, I have never used it.
My question is what's the point of curved screens, except the "it looks good factor"?
As I said it is a real question as I've never used one

 

[smacrumon]

Forgive me, but how is this even an issue. There are literally hundreds of cases for the Edge series of phones. The screen doesn't have to be curved, they choose to make it curved. If someone doesn't want the curved edge, they could easily get a regular flat S7. I'm pretty sure if, and that's a big if, Apple decided to adopt a curved edge they would also have the flat option.
[doublepost=1464814207][/doublepost]
Sounds almost like you want an S7

Not really, S7's design runs different curves. I'm talking something more organic, less bling, but something familiar, clean, and actually tasteful:

 

[breather]

I can´t see the point of a dual-curve screen. Would Apple build it like that without it having a practical element to it? Dunno..

 

[smacrumon]

If you think the Galaxy S7 or S7 edge sucks, then get one for a couple of weeks. Bet you end up keeping it and saying to yourself, " why couldn't Apple make a phone like this now?". From a former Apple fanboy.

I'd be keen to learn about the improvements the curves create. Never used one, but I don't appreciate the lines and curves used in the S7. The extra reflections on the sides appear distracting. Keen to hear your experience moving from Apple.

 

[Substance90]

Guess I'll hold on to my 6+ for a bit longer. Man this iPhone 7 is going to suck...

This rumor is about the 2017 iPhone (aka. iPhone 8 or whatever).

 

[dr34mc4st3r]

The rolled-off edges as shown in the picture of the Vivo create reflections and distortions of the image along the edge of the screen. It also seems likely to increase the incidence of damage from bumps and drops. I don't think this is likely to be adopted by Apple.

Apple already did it with the Apple Watch. Which I dropped and the glass shattered easily

 

[robeddie]

Apple is all about added functionality through design.

What functionality can the curved edges provide that will actually be useful?

Apple doesn't do gimmicks, and I don't think they would add on manufacturing costs just to create a "better looking" phone without justifying it with some practical functionality.

Did you forget the whole 'gimmick' of Apple laptops? Thinner than they need to be (right dude, that 11-inch air was SOO thick and heavy it was killing your arm) laptops with less ports, less power and less upgradability?
[doublepost=1464863769][/doublepost]

I think Apple's pursuit of simplicity and thinness could be attributed to a reduction of material costs.

You might think it's a trivial amount, but Apple saved over 4 million US dollars by recycling the scraps of plated gold inside iPhones and other devices.
[doublepost=1464838700][/doublepost]

Materials cost reduction.
[doublepost=1464838735][/doublepost]

.

That's bull. The cost of creatiing developing and producing parts and batteries and pieces that fit in that absurdly thin macbook are certainly high. But let's say you're right. And if 'material cost' is the only 'benefit' you can name, exactly how does that benefit me, the customer? At $1299, if they saved so much on cost, they certainly didn't pass it on to the customer.

 

[cfs]

its pretty funny how this site has resigned itself to not reporting the 2016 iphone because its going to be a boring update and is instead writing articles on a phone that is likley a year and a half away from release. Honestly, no


Eliminating the top and bottom bezel is unrealistic. There needs to be an ear speaker, and there needs to be somewhere on the bottom that you can touch to hold the phone without accidentally touching the screen edge. They can make those area very thin but not a wrap around like this. Who is to say that they don't wrap the sides and thin out the top and bottom. There needs to be something for mac rumours to save in order to report for the next year and a half.

I personally like the bezel. Every time I use a friends iPhone, holding it horizontally feels so natural because my thumbs have a natural place to rest without accidentally touching any action buttons. I have a note 4 that I love but I am always pressing buttons accidentally when holding horizontal. In my opinion the iPhone grip is better for shooting pics and video as well.

 

[admob71]

And it's funny how so many people acts like they know tech, but they think Samsung released the whole weird edges devices first. Stop thinking Samsung and Apple releases everything first, and start giving credit wherever it's due.

A) no one thinks Apple releases anything first, and b) go on then, who did release a curved edge screen first? Genuine question..
[doublepost=1464865419][/doublepost]

Anyone find it weird that Samsung has such a ridiculously similar product naming strategy?

Their flagship phones are S6, S7? Isn't that like the same as Apple's 6S, 7S? and yet Samsung puts their S7 out a year before Apple so they can be in the right? Shameless.

Is this the most redic post of the day, 7 years ago, we got the galaxy S, then the s2, then the s3, S standing for Samsung. Can you see where this is heading. So bizarrely you think the s7 has been named as such to steal the yet to be released 7s' thunder ? Really?
I'm gonna guess that you are new to MR!

 

[MacBergin]

Oh please no. That is hideous. I have no need for information on the edges of a phone. Its ugly and its been done.